Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-12-02
Mexico letter.
CERBo GoRDo GAP MEXICO,
December, 1887, {

tatuo anu hdNc lOuuu uO DluCC VI
more interest than this celebrated
pass where our army overpo wered
the hosts of Santa Anna. The field
is about fifty miles from Vera
Jruz and is reached by the same
stage way now as in 1947, and if
one of the old soldiers who fol-
lowed Scott then were with us
now, he would find, but few
changesIin the entire way from
coast to capitol. There is now as
then the same round topped, palm
covered huts along the way. The
woods are as dense, and wild game,
monkeys, parrots and big lizards
are as plentiful as then. The
many valleys are just as green,
the mountain tops are as white,
end the barren fields of volcanic
sand are just as drearv. Yet
there is a difference. The road
side has more lone graves with
their black crosses and stone
piles. The Indians and half
breeds have since those days
cherished an almost perpetual
hate for all Americans. An In
dian seldom forgets or forgives,
and as a result many real or sup
posed Americans have met an un-
timely end along this lonely way
and now their lone graves under
the palms and far from home and
friends are MI that is left to tell of
their departure. With these
scenes and the present insecurity
of the way, it seemed to us the
most lonely road we have ever
travelled over in Mexico. Every
traveller in these parts goes well
armed, and in places a mounted
guard of rurales Country soldiers
is needed as an escort to secure
the safe passage Of the diligence.
Thus as the traveller muses. on
these things, he is likely to be
more firmly convinced than ever
before, that there is something
radically wrong with a country
where there are so many bandits
and graves of murdered men; SO
many soldiers and so little securi-
ty; SO many churches and SO few
schools; so many prayers and so
little piety, SO many priests and
SO much poverty. Yet there is a
bright side to this picture, for
few countries are SO blessed by
nature; and in many places among
the green valleys and hig h noun
tains along this route every pros
pect pleases and man alone is
vile Amid the sunshine and
shadow of the way we pass on un-
til we reach Cerr o Gordo Gap and
all the scenes surrounding the old
battlefield. Since we have been
in Mexico we have followed up the
trail of Taylor's army in the north
and Scott's from coast to capitol,
taking in all the battle fields, and
in this round we have seen no
place where our army was placed
at greater disadvantage than here.
This is the only mountain pass in
this whole coast country. 1t had
to be passed at La Angoturas'
or the narrows. 1t is SO narrow
that two wagons can hardly pass.
On either side and in front of this
narrow defile the mountains tower
up more than two thousand feet,
upon the summit of which Santa
Anna and his hosts were stationed
with all thier bristling batteries,
covering the pass for more that a
mile. To enter was suicide; to
climb around was impossible. Yet
withal Santa Annals brightest
hopes were here blasted and all
other victory was added to the list
of honors won by American arms.
AS to how it was done in the face
of what seems to he almost insur-
mountable difficulties, I will leave
it to history and those who follow
ed Scott in his conquest to tell.
Suffice it to say the field is now
more wild, lonely, dreary and
desolate than then. Wild and
desolate because it is uninhabita-
able for man, and dreary and
lonely because it is now the abid-
ing place Of the dead rather than
the living. AS we passed through
the gap every scene suggested the
picture representing walk
through the valley of the shadow
of death" The dark shadows of
mountains envelop the graves of
those who sleep in the valley, and
they add an increased horror to
the depth of the deep gorges al
most hidden by the tropical growth
overhead. In another place we
find a dark ambush, which has
been, and in fancy yet may be, the
lurking place of an enemy. In
another we find stepping stones
across the mountain stream; also
the quiet pool over-grown with
reeds, rushes, and water flowers
making almost complete the pic
ture of the patriarch. 1t also, with
marked propriety might be called
the valley of dry bones, for the
bones of many who fell here, lay